Kensington Picnic

What do Hulk Hogan, Asher Roth and the Kensington Picnic have in common? Today’s their birthday! Hulk and Asher have been around a little while, but the picnic—a free block party that kicks off around 1 p.m.—enters the world today to offer some killer local music in an idyllic setting (well, the grassy lot next to Liberty Vintage Motorcycles, anyway). On the bill: Avant-folkie Meg Baird, psych-rock geniuses Blues Control and Birds of Maya, the noisy sneer of Watery Love, hypno-experimental guitar collaborators Chris Forsyth & Steve Gunn, the pairing of harpist Mary Lattimore & Arc in Round’s Jeff Zeigler (on synth) and Daniel Bachman, a fabulous folk fingerpicker in the mold of John Fahey/Jack Rose. Sounds like a great start to what organizers hope will be an annual tradition. Don’t forget your pikanick basket! -Michael Alan Goldberg